Why does the Mayo Clinic have an uncommonly low MSTP/MD application ratio?

[bunnyluvr]

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For the most part, it seems like the number of MSTP applications that a university receives is approximately proportional to the number of MD applications it receives, but Mayo has one of the largest MD applicant pools in the country, but receives about the same number of MSTP applications as some lower-tier programs, or programs that aren't fully funded (only ~250 applications).

Does anyone have an idea of why this might be? Is there something about Mayo that makes it disproportionately more attractive to MD candidates than MSTP candidates?

 

[aliceofbattenberg]

I’m just a current applicant and I haven’t visited Mayo yet, but I would assume that the discrepancy is because of the small graduate school compared to peer institutions. I am still very interested because they have some stellar PIs in my field and I am dedicated to clinical medicine, but for MD-PhDs with other interests it might not be a good fit.

 

[mr.scienceguythebadman]

it might also partly be caused by their letter writers rating sheet...lol

 

[bunnyluvr]

it might also partly be caused by their letter writers rating sheet...lol

Trueeeee

 

[bunnyluvr]

Are there any current or former Mayo MSTP students on here? I wonder if they could speak to this

 

[Syxx]

I'm not sure if this is still the case but they have been historically extremely generous with scholarships for the MD program. Everyone that I know
that went there for MD received a full tuition scholarship and it has been mentioned in the past that all of those accepted got at least a half tuition scholarship.

 

[Neuronix]

It's hard to fathom going to a location in the middle of frozen nowhere for 8+ years. Four years for an MD only is easier to imagine, especially if you're getting a great deal compared to everywhere else.

 

[wholeheartedly]

I'm not sure if this is still the case but they have been historically extremely generous with scholarships for the MD program. Everyone that I know
that went there for MD received a full tuition scholarship and it has been mentioned in the past that all of those accepted got at least a half tuition scholarship.

Not as much as they used to.


I think people above nailed it. They are much stronger in clinical and translational research and wouldn't be a good fit for some people. They do do some good basic science stuff, but there just isn't as much variety breadth as you'd see at a major university setting.

 

[Serac]

While there are many factors, I essentially agree with the trend... Mayo Clinic has long been regarded as one of the best clinical medicine practice and training institutions in the nation and this combined with the historically generous MD scholarships is why the MD applicant pool is so big when compared to the size of the school and it's region.
If you have any other questions specific to the Mayo Clinic MSTP, feel free to ask here or PM me.